Starchy Foods List

Starchy foods are often recommended by doctors for patients who are suffering from diabetes. One serving of a starchy food contains about 15 grams of carbohydrates, three grams of protein and one gram of fat. According to the Mayo Clinic, it is best for those who have been told to increase consumption of starchy foods to choose low-fat starches and whole-grain starches as often as possible.

Some of the breads that are best for eating starches include bagels, English muffins, hot dog buns, hamburger buns, pita bread and pancakes. A serving size for a bagel is considered to be about a fourth of an ounce, while the serving size for a bagel is about half a bagel. The same is true for a hot dog bun, pita bread and a hamburger bun. A four-inch-across pancake is also about one serving.

The Mayo Clinic recommends that those in need of starches get the starches from a wide variety of sources, including cereals and grains. A person seeking one serving of a starch may want to eat a third of a cup of pasta, a third of a cup of white or brown rice, half of a cup of cooked grits, half a cup of cooked wild rice, one-and-a-half cups of puffed cereal or a third cup of couscous.

Although many people think of breads and cereals as having the most starches, it is also true that those looking to add starches to their diets can do so by improving their intake of starchy vegetables. Half of a cup of corn, a fourth of a baked potato with skin, half a cup of mashed potatoes, half a cup of yams or a third of a cup of a ripe plantain all equal one serving of a starch.

In addition to increasing starch intake during mealtime, those who are in need of more starches can do the same throughout the day by making sure the snacks they eat are also full of starches. Some of the best snacks for increasing starch intake include animal crackers, graham crackers, pretzels, rice cakes, melba toast, saltine crackers and baked potato chips.